An Eye For An Eye: The Rise Of Cassius Lucas

Seconds Before The Shot

Lucas moved toward Adam while Adam took some steps away from him, his phone in his hand, showing a paused video.

Adam chuckled, his laughter echoing in the room.

"You want to see it, Lucas?" he said with a mocking grin. "Take a look at this."

He tapped the screen and the video started to play.

On the screen was Lucas holding a knife while Adam was on the ground, screaming, clutching his bloodied hand.

“You’re going to jail for this,” Adam said, still laughing. “You went mad and injured me, Lucas.”

Sophia stood beside Adam, smiling mockingly.

“GET OUT!” Lucas roared. “Get out of my room!”

Adam didn’t flinch.

“Oh, don’t worry. We’ll leave. "No need to shout. Just relax." He paused, still smiling. "We just thought we'd keep you company a little longer. You know... before the police arrive or what do you say,my best friend?”

“ You will regret…….,”.

Before Lucas could finish his sentence, the door burst open with a loud bang. Three uniformed officers rushed into the room. One of them held a long knife while the other two carried short-barreled shotguns.

Lucas froze for a moment, then stepped back in panic. He raised the knife in his hand, pointing it instinctively toward them.

“What... what is this?” he stammered, his voice trembling. “I didn’t do anything!”

The officer in front stepped forward, gazing at Lucas..

“Lucas Ross,” he said, “you are being detained under Section 13-B of the Student Threat Protocol. You are under arrest, and appropriate disciplinary action will follow. I advise you to remain silent and cooperate. Anything you say may be used against you in court.”

Lucas blinked.

What?” he said, his voice cracking. “I didn’t injure him! He cut himself and he’s trying to frame me! I’m innocent!”

Adam signed heavily.

“Officer… you can take a sample of my blood from this hand,” he said, lifting his bloodied hand. “Then match it with the blood on the knife Lucas is holding. That should be enough to prove his guilt.”

Sophia stepped forward, folding her arms.

“I’m a witness,” she said confidently. “I was there when Lucas injured him. We only came here to support him after hearing about the examination scandal. I’m his girlfriend, and Adam is his best friend. We were worried about him”.

She looked away, shaking her head as if in regret.

“But if I had known he would lose control of himself like this. If I had known he would hurt his best friend, we would’ve never come here.”

Lucas stared at the both of them, looking surprised.

"Lucas, gently put the knife down and turn around," the lead officer said calmly, stepping forward. "You've already been expelled from the university, and now you're accused of injuring a fellow student. Don’t make things worse for yourself.”

"No!" Lucas shouted, tightening his grip on the knife. "I didn’t do anything! They framed me! This was all their plan!”

The officer paused, gazing at Lucas.

"Lucas, I know how it feels to be overwhelmed... to feel like the world has turned against you," he said, taking another step forward. I was just a regular man before. I was married, working two jobs and trying to build a better life for myself and my family”.

He paused for a moment, a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"My wife, Naomi, was eight months pregnant. It was supposed to be the happiest time of our lives. We were expecting a baby girl and we had already picked out a name—Isabelle. But then, out of nowhere, Naomi started experiencing complications. She was rushed to the hospital, and I was told she needed an emergency procedure. The problem was. I didn’t have the money. We had no insurance”.

He looked down for a moment then turned his eyes to Lucas.

"I begged the hospital staff to help us. I pleaded with the doctor, told him I’d pay later. I did everything I could. But all he kept saying was, 'We can’t do anything without a deposit.' I was desperate and my wife was crying in pain, and I—I lost it.”

"In a moment of rage, I pulled out a pocket knife I used at my night job and stabbed the doctor. He died two days later. My wife didn't survive and I never got to meet my daughter. I was sentenced to five years in prison. And not a day goes by that I won't regret what I did in that moment of anger.”

Then, he looked Lucas in the eyes.

"I'm not telling you this to scare you. I'm telling you because I know what a single bad decision can cost. Put the knife down, Lucas and let’s end this peacefully.”

"I didn't stab him!" Lucas yelled, his voice shaking.

"Yes… yes… not until you surrender yourself.”

"Lucas…" the officer continued, taking another step forward.

But before he could finish his sentence, Lucas cut him off.

"Don't come any closer!" he shouted, pointing the knife at him. "Don't take another step forward!”

"Okay… okay. I’ve stopped. I’m not going to come any closer," the officer replied, taking a stop."Just put the knife down, Lucas. You don’t want this to get any worse."

"You’ve already lost your law degree, Lucas," the officer continued. "That’s hard, I know. But don’t add more to your list of problems. If you hurt someone else or yourself, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

"I was innocent. I didn't do anything!" Lucas shouted, his voice breaking.

"Yes… you said so," the officer replied calmly. "But the judge and the evidence said otherwise. It’s not about what you say anymore, Lucas. It’s about what people saw and what they believed. Please, just surrender.”

"You remind me of my first son," the officer said, raising his hand and pointing to an old scar on his palm.

"He stabbed me… right here. Just because I told him to turn off his video game and go to bed. I didn’t know he’d actually do it, but he did. And we both paid the price.”

Lucas looked at the scar, breathing heavily.

"Put your guns down and get out!" he shouted.

"I don’t think that would be possible, Lucas," the officer said. "We’re not here to hurt you and we can’t leave either. You’re holding a weapon, and you’re not in your “right senses”. If we put our guns down and get out, someone else might get hurt.".

"Please”

"Let’s not turn a bad day into something worse.”

Suddenly, Lucas’s grip on the knife loosened.

It slipped.

But before it hit the floor,

a loud BANG echoed through the room.

Someone had pulled the trigger.

And everything went black.